Love
by Talking like a Lion
Summary: After the Giant War, the newest arrival at Camp Half-Blood begins to understand what exactly her heritage means. Percabeth!


Hey guys! So I was randomly struck with inspiration at about 2 AM last night (I'm aware of the incorrectness of that phrase) and just had to write this. I hope you like it, as always, R&R.

Camp Half-Blood had just received its newest member. After all that had transpired after the Giant War, new campers were little rays of hope, proof that life could move on. Grover had come to camp earlier that morning, tugging along the tiniest seven year old any of them had ever seen speckled with dirt and scrapes.

With a halo of lazy blonde curls, an infectious smile, and piercing green eyes, it was no surprise that everyone at camp adored Lily Connery from the second they saw her (with perhaps the exception of the Ares cabin.) However, after arriving at camp, the petite girl was rather intimidated by all the attention she was receiving, causing Chiron to giver her the tour instead of a camper. As they strolled through the picturesque camp, Chiron attempted to explain her heritage to her.

Being a young child, she took the news of the Greek gods fairly well, which was to say no screaming or throwing things. She had grown up with a business tycoon father who rarely had time for her and was primarily raised by nannies. She had no idea who her godly mother could be. Fortunately, she had had few monster attacks in her childhood, and the monsters that had attacked her had been easily taken care of with the mist. Grover found her in her elementary school back in Boston.

After her tour, Katie Gardener made her a cup of hot chocolate as Lily tried to process all the information she had been given. As she was undetermined at that moment, she was brought to the Hermes cabin where Travis and Conner Stoll greeted her and set up a bed for her. Once she had been settled, they took her to sword fighting with them. However, after taking one look at the frailty of her, the sword trainer decided it was necessary for her to have private lessons.

The activities Lily went to were inconclusive; she was not particularly strong in any field. Although tired, she giggles hysterically when Travis and Conner grabbed her hands and swung her back and forth on the way to dinner. As she was sitting down, a bright light flashed over her head. Craning her neck to look up, Lily gasped at the pink dove spinning over her.

Chiron pronounced her godly parent to the camp, as Lacy walked over to take the little girl back to the Aphrodite table. Sneezing at the smell of perfume that permeated the Aphrodite table, she waved to Travis and Conner, who had been nicest to her since she had come to camp.

The Aphrodite children introduced themselves and helped explain who her mother was. The girls cooed at the adorable child and mentally mapped how to give her a makeover.

After dinner and campfire, Lacy gave Lily a piggyback ride back to the cabin. Once there, the scary girl who told her she was the leader assigned her a bed. Amongst the chaos of evening facial routines, Lily tugged on Lacy's hand and asked her a question that had burning on her mind ever since she had found out she was Aphrodite. In a high-pitched and childish voice she said, "I know that Aphrodite is the goddess of love, but I don't really know what love is, besides the hearts and stuff."

Smiling softly at the inquisitive child, Lacy scooped Lily onto he lap and brushed aside a frilly curtain that adorned the window. Glancing out Lacy pointed and questioned, "You see that? That's what love is. The forever kind of love."

Looking out into the soft twilight, Lily saw a boy with raven hair and a girl with stormy gray eyes. As she watched, the boy scooped up the girl and spun her around as fireflies blinked around them and they laughed and smiled. And for the first time, Lily understood what love is.

That night, when nightmares plagued Lily, she crawled into Lacy's bed and Lacy told her amazing fantastical stories of gods and monsters, adventures and prophecies, and two kids who, despite the odds, fell in love along the way.


End file.
